Most soldiers usually face two enemies in time of war: the opposing army and sheer boredom. Checkers, cards, or reading were some of the diversions that helped American troops to pass the time between routine duties, drilling, awaiting deployment, and actual combat. Shown here is a small checker set that Lieutenant Umstead carried with him. Its near-pristine condition suggests that the busy supply officer had little free time to use it.

Funding from the State Library of North Carolina supported the electronic publication of this title.